(Taxi Driver) I am a taxi driver, and my name is not really important for you. You don't know me, and I don't know you, but I have a story to share with you. You ask why? Isn't being here an enough reason for you? Eh? Call it fate or coincident if that might float your boat. None really notices us, taxi drivers, as an individual person. We are a just another faceless and nameless driver in this huge concrete jungle so called Tokyo, where people easily lose themselves among strangers and lies. But, it's not same to us. Every face reflected on our small rectangle rearview mirror is a piece of huge human drama unfolding in front of our eyes. I have seen them all, from top to bottom, from scum to saint.
I had one special customer, whom I still fondly remembered. When I picked up her, I just became a taxi driver after being fired from a big well-known electronic company. They said it was a minor restructure. In other words, simply they didn't need me anymore so I had to kiss my 10-years-old management career goodbye. I became one of many middle-age nobody who didn't have much of job skills and thrown out in street suddenly without much of future. I had a wife, and 2-years-old son, and a house with thirty-years-mortgage, but I couldn't keep feeling sorry for me. The life must go on, you know. An old friend of mine from high school was doing some taxi business, and I begged him to give me a job. Throwing away useless pride was difficult, but at least I got a job of taxi driver from him. Now looking back my past, I amazed what people could do if their livelihood was at stake. Certainly, it was the darkest moment of my life, then I met her.
Still, I could easily remember the exact date. It was March 31st, a day before April Fool, and I was dead tired from working late night, not knowing where I was going or whom I was going to face. Learning unfamiliar job at the same time, I was pretty much on edge everyday, and stress was obviously taking some tolls on me. Then, I started to have more heated arguments with my wife often at home. I knew that my wife and I were basically good people, but the first time in our life, enduring the hardship the world tossed at us from nowhere, we didn't know how be strong for each other.
After sending a group of drunken businessmen to their homes, I was driving nearby Shinjuku train station, where was pretty much deserted since the most of last trains to the Tokyo suburban areas left the station long time ago. There, I saw a tall young woman with stylish short hair and a plastic bag on her hand standing in graceful fashion on the corner outside of the station; street lights cast its light on her from above, creating dream-like illusion of light and shadow. The whole scene was like a picture taken from the well-crafted magazine. Her slender hand was lifted in mid air to flag my taxi down. Like a moth drawn to flame, my taxi stopped besides her.
Quickly the beautiful apparition on the corner settled in my backseat. "Where are going, Ma'am?" I asked. The woman said the name of local cemetery.
It was a very quiet ride. I guess that some people think of us like a bartender, a person to hear their confession with no string attached, revealing their darkest secret they couldn't continue to keep in their black heart. Eventually, I learned to be a good listener, but in this case, I was more intrigued by the beautiful woman remained in enigmatic silence. Unconsciously, I began to observe her by the rearview mirror.
Dressed in simple blue jeans and black knit sweater. Not much of make-up on her face. She was nothing like gaiety ladies of night or noisy co-eds usually I had to pick up late night. Her simplicity was very refreshing, but it didn't make her plain at all. Delicate brownish hair framing her heart-shaped face, half-hidden in moving shadow cast by the passing streetlights. Strange mixture of sensuality of mature woman and innocence of girl. Despite my martial status, my male libido couldn't help myself noticing the figure of soul-stealing woman sitting in my backseat.
My tired mind started to work busily again. She wanted go to the cemetery at this late night. What does she need to do in cemetery? My eyes kept going back to her face looking outside of window silently, keeping all the secret inside of her.
(Kaori) So, strange. March 31st, today shouldn't be different from yesterday. It's just another day out of 365 days, but I just can't kid myself. Miki, Umibouzu, Kasumi, Mick, Kazue, Saeko, and the rest of friends threw me a surprise birthday party at Cat's Eye. I was more dumbfounded by finding Ryo there with others than the party itself. Usually, he wasn't into a mushy stuff like a birthday party, especially mine.
Seeing myself staring at him, Ryo quizzically looked back at me. "What?"
"You are here?" I know, I know, it was stupid things to say, but that was all my shocked brain could come up at the time.
"Well, I can't miss Miki's appetizing cooking and free drinks, can I? Hey, ladies!!!" Waving a glass toward me, Ryo cheerfully answered then disappeared from my eyesight quickly to chase one of female guests in the cafe without any sign of shame. Yeah, what I was thinking to believe that I could get something from this man? Noticing beginning of my budding fury, Miki shoved me a can of beer and made me sit in front of huge pink cake. Feeling a little reckless and ticked off by Ryo's self-centered attitude, I took a quick swig from the can. Yes, it's my birthday, and I should feel happy.
Anyway, it was a wonderful party. Music was on, foods and drinks were great, and everyone was having a good time. From Umibouzu, I got a fancy espresso/cappuccino machine. Miki gave me a set of sexy black lacy underwears from DreamWare. I blushed like a red tomato when I opened her gift. Really embarrassing thing was that I had to slap Ryo's wandering hands from her gift. The guy had no self-control whatsoever. Next, free karaoke tickets from Kasumi. Mick and Kazue gave me 2 tickets to romantic Broadway show. Did they really think I have someone worth taking with me? From Saeko, a set of three beautiful throwing knives made in USA. She even promised me to teach me how to handle them safely and efficiently. It was really like her, giving me knives for a birthday. Everyone but Ryo gave a birthday present. That stingy bastard. I don't need anything from that pervert anyway. So, I told myself, but I would be a liar if I said that I didn't expect anything from him. How much Ryo had insulted me by saying that I were more a man than woman, well, I loved gifts like ordinary young women. I couldn't ignore the ache in my heart for long. More I acted cheerfully, it pushed back to me stronger. It was quite annoying.
Even sitting this middle of chaotic party, still holding the same open can of beer in my hand, I couldn't fully enjoy the joyful celebration for my birthday because March 31th was more than just my birthday. So, seeing the right moment, I took a plastic bag on the floor and sneaked out from the cafe, hoping none will notice my departure. I had a place to visit tonight. Briskly I started to walk toward Shinjuku train station in chilly March night, which was good for my tipsy brain. Then, on the corner of deserted train station, I got into a taxi. When the taxi driver asked me a destination, I told the name of local cemetery. I have to see my brother tonight.
(Taxi Driver) After thirty minutes of quiet ride, I got to the entrance of the cemetery, which the customer requested. "Ma'am, would you like me to wait here for you? I won't run a meter for you while I am waiting, " I said to the woman who gave me bills and graciously told me to keep the changes. It was against the company's policy to wait on someone without the meter running, but I just couldn't leave a young woman at cemetery near midnight. If anything happened to her, I couldn't help myself to feel some responsibility. The woman shyly smiled but politely refused my request. She also reassured me by letting me know that she had a cell phone and didn't want to inconvenient me for her sake. Before I could say more, she disappeared into the cemetery, her posture straight as if she was walking down the ale.
Well, you got to understand, before being a taxi driver, I was also a human being. Despite her refusal for my offer, I shut off the engine and headlights and decided to wait for her. About 20 minutes had been passed since the mysterious woman went into the cemetery. I saw another car stopped nearby its entrance. My taxi was well hidden by the shadow created by the cemetery walls and trees around them. I dived into the passenger side to take a peek for the new visitor. It was awfully hard to see in shadows, but barely saw the driver from another car, which looked to be a Mini Cooper, a rare car found in Tokyo. He was a pretty tall about 6' 3" or 4" and well-build. Moving like a big cat, a black panther, quickly he disappeared into the cemetery without making any noise.
What should I do? I knew that the young woman was still somewhere in the cemetery. What does the man want at such place at this time of night? Thousands of morbid scenarios flashed in my mind. My hands on wheels got sweaty with nervousness. So, finally waking up little courage I had, I got out from my taxi, and trying not to make any noticeable sounds, slowly I began to tail after the man.
(Kaori) Illuminated by the streetlights in the far corner of the cemetery I could see the some noticeable growth of weeds around the headstone. It was not bad as much as I worried. "Sorry Bro, I couldn't come as often as I should." I put down the plastic bag on the ground and started to pull weeds surrounding the headstone. The smell of freshly pulled grass hung in chilly night air. Then, I put cans of beer, few pastries, and new flowers in a little vase on the bottom of headstone. After few minutes of arranging offerings, I was satisfied by my works and sat down on my heal in front of it, bringing the black shiny stone at my eye level. "It's another March 31st. Bro, I just want you to know I am doing fine. Yeah, yeah, I know I am still living and working with Ryo. He is such bastard and pervert as usual, you know. But, Bro, don't worry about me, OK? I know how to handle him." I grinned at the headstone.
"I know you wanted to tell me about my parents and how I became your sister by yourself, but you couldn't. And instead, Ryo ended up doing your job. You know, I am not mad at you about keeping my past secret for twenty years or you asking Ryo to take care of me in your death bed." Feeling burning sensation in my eyes, I rubbed eyelids with my fist. The smell of fresh grass was strong on my hand.
"I missed you a lot, Bro. Sometime...a lot... you know... Well, I just want you to know you gave the most wonderful birthday gift I ever got. Not only you gave me back my past, but also you gave me a future. A future with Ryo. I bet you are laughing your ass off seeing us together everyday. Don't you? It's scarily to need someone badly that you know without him, you are nothing. But, everyday I pray I have enough strength to go on with him, opening my eyes wide, facing any impossible the world tossed at us." As if I opened the dam's gate, in front of the headstone I was spewing my emotional guts off to my brother. It felt good. There, I didn't feel the need to be a super woman acting like nothing in the world could bother me. There was none to judge me but the quiet field of headstones and the starry sky above me. Caught up with own emotional mess, I didn't notice there was someone in the cemetery besides me. Hearing snapping twig, quickly I stood up and swirled around, a new throwing knife, a birthday gift from Saeko, in my right hand, ready to find its target.
"Who's..." My voice died in my throat as my knife halt at half inch away from Ryo's neck after a split second recognition.
"Ryo? What's hell are you doing? You scare me to death!!"
There was Ryo, standing still with my shiny knife on his neck. "Ha ha ha...Kaori... I feel so humble to receive such hot welcome from you... Getting tired of a hammer and now a knife?" Rising both hands in air, he wryly laughed. "Well, I think I feel much much better if you keep your pointy knife away from my beautiful neck. I love my head where I have right now."
"Ah...Sorry..." Whirling a knife to a neck of top hit man in cemetery near midnight like some escaped lunatic, I guessed I wasn't an ordinary woman anymore. I couldn't help myself but chuckled by this odd situation.
"So, how did you find me?" Putting back the knife into its hidden sheath on my wrist, I asked to Ryo, whose face was obscure by the distant streetlights on his back.
"I knew you'd come here sooner or later." Ryo and I looked down the headstone together. We didn't need words to explain about the true meaning behind this date.
"Oh, and you left so early from party before I give you a birthday present." Seeing my open astonishment on my face, Ryo smirked at me. Bastard.
"A present? From you?" I was still in daze when I said it. How much did I drink?
"Yeah, one wish. Just tell me what you want, and it will be yours." Waving a right hand like a magic wand of fairly godmother, he said.
"Anything?" Ugh, I am getting total braindead here. I could see he was enjoying seeing my confusion. He was messing with my head.
"Anything. Name it." Ryo being a straight forward? Is this some kind of trick question or a thing to embarrass me? It's Ryo I am facing here, right? There must be something, but maybe I am looking a thing doesn't exist. My sorry brain span with triple cycle. What do I want?
"Ummm...." Still annoying smirk on his face, crossing both arms, Ryo waited my answer.
Unconsciously, my eyes were drawn back to the lonely headstone illuminated by distant streetlights. I stared at it for a moment and felt a lump in my throat, and I knew what my wish was.
"I...I.... wish...wish...you will celebrate my birthday with me every years, including yours too. I mean...I mean... every years till both of us die of old age. If we go...we...we...go together, OK? " I didn't notice my tears until Ryo's hands was holding my face gently, and his thumbs were wiping my tears away. Then, it happened. Tenderly, he kissed me. Wonderful the-world-comes-to-screeching-halt kind of tingling ran down my spine, and my heart quicken its beating. Ryo, kissing me? Mouth to mouth! I was near the cardiac arrest, but further examination, I realized that I loved the every moment.
"Ryo..." I was breathless and blushing like a lovesick teenager. How embarrassing...
Then, I was pulled forward furthermore and ended up to be imprisoned by his muscular arms. Being Crushed against his large body, I went to be totally still not knowing what would happen next. Even through layers of clothes we wore, the warm from his body was telling me the unspoken words of his trust and protectiveness, and I didn't want to be anywhere, but in his arms. I felt like nothing in the world could touch us. I pressed my tear stained face against his chest. "Idiot..." Was it crack I heard in Ryo's voice? "You had me from the beginning."
"Did I?" Still missing the clue bus totally, I asked him.
"Yeah, for your twentieth birthday, together with your mother's ring, Makimura gave me to you for your birthday present. That sneaky SOB, I knew it. It's always quiet one. Well, sorry that I didn't come with a big red ribbon around my neck and fancy wrapping."
"But, he asked you to take care of me..." Still being confused by his answers and comfortably being cradling in his arms, I looked up his face, now not so hidden from me.
"He knew, it would be other way around from beginning." Under the dim streetlight, I saw his blue black eyes twinkled mischievously.
From nowhere, I felt breeze on my moist cheek. As we stood together in the dimly lit cemetery, we looked up. In air, there were thousand and thousand of little pink petals of cherry blossom planted around the cemetery, which finally bloomed by slow approaching spring in Tokyo, carried away by sudden strong wind and falling down upon us like a rice shower tossed for newlyweds. "Wow! Look it's so beautiful!"
"Yeah." Laughing together with my child-like excitement, Ryo agreed.
"So, can I get my wish?" I brushed off few petals from Ryo's head and asked.
"Ryo Saeba, swearing by my male libido, I grand you your wish." Putting his right hand to his chest and still holding me by other hand, Ryo took a vow in very theatrical fashion. Couldn't keep a straight face, I ended up bursting out laughing. He looked at me like my laughter really hurt his feeling, and it made me to laugh harder more. Finally, I made myself compose. "You don't have to make a promise you can't keep."
"Are you calling me a liar?" From his voice, I knew he wasn't really happy about my comments.
"No! No! No! Thanks for granting my wish. Let's go home. I am done here. Goodbye Bro, we will come back soon!" Quickly throwing farewell to my brother, I took Ryo's hand and pulled him away from the headstone. While heading to the cemetery exit, he continued to grumble about my insensitivity.
"So, are you going to model the hot black number Miki gave to you?" As we got into a Mini Cooper, Ryo asked me cheerfully. I guessed he was back to his normal pervert mode.
"Do you really want to say hello to my hammer?" Big smile plastering on my face, I answered him with a question, and that made him to shut up. I think we are alright here. As I leaned against Ryo's shoulder, he didn't say anything and kept driving in comfortable silence. Bro, thanks for the gift.
(Taxi Driver) Hiding behind headstones here and there, being in distance but still near enough to shadow him, I went after the mysterious man. When the man stood behind the young woman from my taxi, and she was sitting on her heal and totally oblivious to the attacker, my whole body tensed up. Was he trying to assault her? What should I do? What should I do? Scream? Warn her? I fretted over my decision. Before reaching any conclusion, I saw something flash in dimly lit cemetery. Next thing, the woman was holding a knife on the man's neck. Whatah hell? I couldn't do anything but remained to hide behind a tall rectangle headstone and to watch the silent drama played out.
Despite the woman's reaction to the man's appearance, soon she put away the knife from his throat. I couldn't hear what they were talking, but from what I could see, they seemed to be known each other. Lovers? Then the man took her face and kissed her gently. As they stood together, his arms around her protectively, I heard the rustle in grass, and it made me to look around. Gusting wind brushed away my hair, and next thing I looked them. I saw something very incredible which till this day I remembered its fragile beauty clearly. Under faintly lit cemetery, two figures standing together, their arms around each other, looking up in air with visible awe, shower of pink cherry blossoms petals dancing and falling upon them like snow. It was such magical moment, and it almost made me want to cry. Seeing them, I felt something opened up inside of me. Something warm and bright. Like hope in darkness...
All of sudden, the faces of my wife and young son came in my mind clearly, and I really missed them, their smile and laughter.
I guessed that the lady didn't need my rescuing. She already got her own knight in shinning armor. So, quietly I retreated back to my taxi. A strange thing was that I didn't notice a new customer already sitting in backseat until I got back behind wheel and looked into the rearview mirror. There, I saw a late twenty-years-old man with silver-rimmed eye glasses and long hair, wearing a rumple beige half coat.
"How did you get in?" I thought I locked my taxi when I left. I always did and never forgot to do it. The man didn't answer. "Where are you heading, Sir?" My shift wasn't over yet, and he was a prospect customer. What could I say?
The man took his eyeglasses and slowly wiped them clean with a white handkerchief. "Shinjuku train station," softly he answered.
"Shinjuku train station, yes sir." I flipped the meter and headlights on and started the engine.
It was awfully quiet ride like the previous one. The headlights cut into the dark night like a white sword, my taxi sped down the deserted highway. As I approached to the narrow intersection, my eyes returned to the rearview mirror for a fraction of second, and it made me to hit the break suddenly, putting my taxi in squealing halt. I looked back, and there was none in my backseat. None! The man with silver-rimmed eyeglasses disappeared mysteriously while I was driving. Can't be!! I frantically looked around the inside of car, but it was hopeless. The guy was gone. Up in smoke... In shock, I sat like a fool for seconds. As I pulled myself together slowly from initial shock, and my right foot was almost stepping on the gas, a black sedan came out from right side of intersection with neck breaking speed, ignoring a stop sign . It passed in front of my taxi, missing just few inches from running into my car.
Needless to say, I hit the break with my reflex. Sitting there, I felt something cold ran down my back. If I didn't notice the odd disappearance of the man in backseat and didn't stop the car, the black sedan surely would smash straight into my taxi. With that speed, the impact would kill me instantly.
These things happened a long time ago, and now I am operating my own taxi company called Cherry Blossoms Taxi. Also, my wife and I are planning to celebrate 30th wedding anniversary next month, and our son has been happily married. He and his wife are expecting a first child this year. The life isn't so bad after all. To tell the truth, I don't need to drive around the city late night to earn the living any longer. That's the best thing about being an owner. However, every March 31st I get into one of my taxis and drive into a city, especially around Shinjuku train station, looking for the beautiful apparition on its corner because that day I was given a second chance.